


Each pray'r accepted and each wish resign'd...

by Tokor_Tokor



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-10-10 00:22:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20518910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tokor_Tokor/pseuds/Tokor_Tokor
Summary: You can erase someone from your head, but getting them out of your heart is a different story…After a painful farewell, Josie undergoes a procedure to erase the memories of her former girlfriend from her mind. When Penelope discovers that Josie is going to extremes to forget their relationship, she decides to do the same.





	1. How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy it!

Penelope Park wakes up alone, her legs tangled up in silky cotton sheets. Everything is quiet except for the shuffling of clothes. She turns and gazes around her apartment as overcast sunlight streams in through the windows.

Her head hurts and she gets the distinct feeling of missing... something. It's so strong that for a moment Penelope is sure some show host is going to turn on a big flashy sign and reveal what's absent then and there. But nothing of the sort happens. So, she looks down confusedly at the sleeves of her satin black PJs, then throws down the covers and stares at the matching pajama bottoms. She doesn't really remember putting them on.

The noise of the world going out and about the day rings in then. Horns, traffic and the elevator bell wake her up more fully. Penelope scoots down to the foot of the bed and just sits there for a minute, trying to fight the glaring absence. It works, if only for a moment and she gets out of the bed.

When stretching a little, her alarm clock dings reminding her that she has got to get ready for work. Going through the motions of making herself presentable for the day, the feeling of emptiness weighs her down still. So, she ignores it the best she can and gets her coat, ready to head out.

With one last look at her apartment Penelope shuts the door behind her. It closes with a click and she finds that she doesn't miss her home all that much.

Maybe 'cause it was never one to begin with.

* * *

Clouds await her as she makes her way to the train station. People stand around like frozen statues trying to ward off the cold by blowing warm air into their hands. Penelope goes to stand in the front of the crowded train platform. Pulling out her phone, she checks the time realizing her train arrives in two minutes.

Another train pulls in then, across her platform, going in the opposite direction. As the metal of its wheels screech to a halt, so does Penelope's heart. Perhaps it was inevitable, the way it calls to her.

And she answers.

Dashing past everyone on the platform, tearing up and down the staircases to catch that train. As its door closes, she squeezes in on board. While she huffs out loud, her hands on her knees, and the train pulls away, the people on it look at her like she has lost her mind.

Who knows? Maybe she has.

* * *

Penelope ditches work. After having had taken a train to Montauk, that was the only option. So, she calls up her dad at the office, works her charm and is free for the rest of the day. Being the daughter of the CEO really has its perks. Though she wasn't really planning on exploiting them today.

The trip to Montauk was impulsive. And that was an adjective Penelope never thought she would associate with herself. Her entire life has been an attempt to control all that happens to her. And more often than not, she is successful. So, this event is quite the surprise and not a very acceptable one right now, considering how cold it is at the beach.

“Montauk in February. Brilliant move, Pen.”  
She mutters to herself.

It's probably because she woke up in a funk this morning. Something like that has never happened before. Penelope Park always stayed on track. Worked according to a meticulously crafted plan. This is out of the ordinary, to say the least.

A seagull dips down nearby and then rises back up and flaps away as Penelope sits on the wooden steps. She feels something solid digging into her side. Checking her inside pocket reveals a worn-out journal that she is pretty sure she put on her home desk.

Opening it up Penelope finds the remnants of a clump of pages that have been ripped out. Though she doesn't remember doing that. Looks like the last entry was two years ago.

It doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done. No point mourning the loss of something you can't even recall.

So, like the big girl she is, Penelope Park gets up and jumps on the sand to check if it's still as soft as it is during the summers. Of course it isn't; she smiles to herself for acting like an irrational little kid.

Down the beach, like the sun shining down on her, a woman in a bright yellow cardigan strolls along the shore. With her brown locks cascading down her shoulders, she looks like an angel in that grey landscape. A splash of color meant to be witnessed only by those lucky enough to be there.

Penelope turns away from her. The chances of them crossing paths are impossible. Doesn't matter how much she wants them to...

She has never been good at maintaining relationships anyway.

* * *

Penelope is nodding off in the train seat, her head leaning against the window when her sleepy eyes find the lady from the beach.

‘Why do I have to fall in love with every woman I see?’ Penelope wonders, amused. But she can't help but think that there's something different about this one.

The mystery woman moves to the seat in front of Penelope's, leaning over its back and starts.  
"Do you ever look up at the stars and think, why is there a 'd' in fridge, but not in refrigerator?"

It's the most unexpected question in the entire world and Penelope can't help the laugh that that draws out of her.

“Can't say that I gu...” She replies.

As the other lady laughs, Penelope's heart fills up with a sense of pride. She decides then and there that she wants to hear the sweet melody. Again, and again and again. And Penelope wants to be the reason. Always.

“Me neither.”  
The woman responds back.

A beat passes.  
“I like you.”

For some reason that has Penelope blushing and she tries to hide it under the outstretched lapels of coat, pretending to be cold.

“My name is Josette Saltzman. But everyone just calls me Josie.”

Penelope doesn’t know what possesses her, but she just lets it out.  
“Jojo.”

It fits somehow. Sounds right.

“Huh. No one’s ever made fun of my name before…”  
Josie trails off.

“I am sorry.”

“So you feel sorry for me now?”  
Josie asks, her left eyebrow raised.

“No! That’s not what I meant! I-“

“Don’t worry. I am just pulling your leg. And it looks like you could use it…”

Penelope knows when someone is checking her out, so she lets the teasing about her short stature slide.

“Okay. I have a joke for you! Knock knock.”  
Josie declares enthusiastically.

Penelope smirks at that, knowing what's coming next.  
“Come on in.”

The scandalized reaction she gets from Josie has Penelope huffing out a laugh whilst the brunette slides down the row to sit right beside her. As their shoulders brush lightly the Park stops breathing for a second, her breath catching, and savors the sensation. 

Josie punches her bicep then and brings her out of her reverie.

“That’s not how it works!” 

“Okay. Fine…”

“Knock knock.”

Penelope's eyes dance with mirth ‘cause she is about to do it again, but the warning glance Josie throws her way has her reconsidering. So, she goes with, “Who’s there?”

“Stop.”

“Stop who?”

“Stopwatch you are doing and talk to me!”  
Josie squeals excitedly.

The horrible pun has Penelope groaning out loud, but she concedes.  
So, they talk. About where they come from, where they are going, where they want to end up, and everything in between. By the time New York pulls in, Penelope sports Josie’s phone number on her right hand. The first thing she does when she gets back to her apartment is call up the bubbly Saltzman. She picks up on the first ring.

“What took you so long?”

That has Penelope smiling.  
“I just got home.”

It’s Josie’s turn to laugh. She goes quiet then, and like a closely guarded secret, whispers-  
“Miss me?” 

“Oddly enough, I do.”  
Penelope murmurs back.

As they talk into the night, Penelope forgets about feeling amiss and just lives.


	2. The world forgetting, by the world forgot...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna be one hell of a ride people... So, buckle up!

The next day, Penelope wakes up feeling more fresh than ever and with this ceaseless need to be near Josie. So, she calls her up.

"Good morning..."

"Thinking of me?"  
Josie asks, playful in this ungodly hour.

"No. I was just-"  
Penelope doesn't want to get caught missing someone she just met, this soon.

"Checking up on me?"  
Josie remarks, knowingly.

"Yeah."  
Penelope replies, defeated.

"Well, I am alive and breathing."

"Good. That's... um... that's good..."

"Should I hang up then? 'Cause you were only checking in, right?"

"Wait!"  
Penelope all but jumps out of the bed.

"Yeah?"  
Josie queries, if only a little hopeful.

"How are you?"

"Hmmm. I will be better when you are here. Salvatore School. Teacher's quarters."  
With that, Josie hangs up.

Penelope is too flabbergasted to question what just happened, so she gets ready to skip another day at work.

* * *

It's been a while since Penelope went to Salvatore. The last she remembers of it is leaving the school to get to Belgium. Her mum had gotten a new job and there was nothing holding her back. It makes her uncharacteristically sad. Which is unusual because she is never one for sentiments when leaving something behind.

As the large estate comes into view, she spots Josie standing by the long gates. After paying off the cab Penelope saunters towards the brunette, trying to forget about the lack of game she had displayed in the morning.

"Couldn't wait?"  
Penelope smirks.

Josie smiles a little shyly at that and just says-  
"Come on."

* * *

They are walking together inside the school grounds in comfortable silence as Josie leads the way. Penelope recognizes some of the things here and there but there's a huge gap between all of the memories. She could care less about it though, as Josie's hand swings by hers. Their gloved fingers almost touching every time it happens. They get to the swimming pool then and Penelope, for the life of her, can't recall if it used to be there during her time in the school or not. But that doesn't matter right now 'cause Josie is taking her hand in hers and Penelope forgets her own freaking name with how happy she feels.

Then they are sliding together on the frozen pool and Penelope has never been so out of control of anything. And it’s exhilarating. Or maybe its just the way Josie's hands fits in hers perfectly, like it was meant to be held by Penelope.

"You are not trying to kill me, are you?"  
She tells Josie, as they slip and fall on the ice.

"Too late to ask, don't you think?"  
Josie smiles back at her.

Penelope has enough time to form the coherent thought that she could willingly die like this, with Josie by her side and then Josie's kissing her. It's a simple peck on the lips but the kiss sets Penelope's skin ablaze. She can't help but lean in for more but Josie pulls back.

"Lay down with me?"

Penelope does as she is told. Looking at Josie while the sun shines down on her, unfolding new realms of possibilities in her eyes. Penelope lets go of all that's holding her back and takes Josie's gloved hand in hers.

"I have never been more happy than I am right now, in this moment, with you."

Josie gazes at her for a long time, looking for something in her eyes. She must have found it for in the next moment they are kissing again and maybe Penelope was wrong. She is happier now. More than she thought was possible.

* * *

They are giggling as they stumble into Josie's room together, their hands tangled in each other’s. Penelope cages in Josie at the door then, and is leaning to kiss her when something shatters.

If it weren't for the plate smashing down to the ground, Penelope would never have realized that there was someone else in the room with them. She looks around to see who caused the noise as Josie coughs loudly at the blonde woman responsible, who looks as if she has seen a ghost.

The blonde collects herself then, and with an air of amusement lets out-  
"Who do we have here?"

Josie sighs, but begins with the introduction anyways.  
"Penelope, this is Lizzie. My twin."

"Fraternal. Obviously"  
Lizzie adds.

Penelope gets the distinct feeling of deja vu, but she ignores it in favor of looking at Josie who looks at her sister like she's trying to tell her something. But Lizzie moves towards them, ignoring the brunette.

"So, Penelope... Can you promise me something?"

"Sure..."  
Penelope replies, feeling a little uneasy.

"Don't have sex on the couch."  
Cackling at the two blushing idiots, Lizzie goes down to lay on her bed.

Josie humph's cutely at that and takes Penelope's hand in hers and leads them out.

A few ways out in the corridor, Penelope offers-  
"Wanna go to my place?"

* * *

**One day ago...**

Penelope is in the parking lot of her apartment building, trying to bury her frustrations. As the car finally collapses, now just a piece of rubble, Penelope falls to her knees with it.

Sobs shake her body as she cries more than she ever has. When she was little, her dad had asked her to refrain from using magic in public places. But that doesn't really matter right now. She just wants to go home.

But home isn't a place. It's being with a person. It's quiet morning whispers and reading books in companionable silence with their hands held together. It's waking up to her. It's this unique blend of scents which can only occur when you mix mint toothpaste and apple conditioner.

Home is Josie.

And Penelope might not be able to go home ever again.

* * *

Landon's day goes something like this-

Get up. Go to work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Get back home and spend time with his friends. Then go to work all over again.

It's simple, and he likes it. No fighting monsters or dying involved. One such supposedly uneventful night of work in front of him, he rounds up on Penelope.

"We are looking for 159."  
He tells his idiot of a partner.

"Jesus Christ! You would think they would write the number on them!!!"  
If Greg is good at anything, it's complaining.

"Is that her?"  
He asks, stopping the van in front of the lavish apartment building as Penelope makes her way towards it.

Landon knew that after Josie underwent the procedure, Penelope won't be far behind. He never assumed that she would go for it this soon though. At least a year or so later maybe. Then again, he never thought she would be back now either.

"That's her." He tells Greg.

They let Penelope get to her apartment, receiving suspicious glances from the people around. Landon makes a mental note to let Alaric know that a big school car trailing behind a woman isn't exactly inconspicuous or stealthy these days. Even if it’s at night. Heck, maybe especially at night.

* * *

Penelope makes her way to her apartment after having destroyed her car. She leaves her door open as instructed. After unwrapping a new pair of satin black PJs, she puts them on. Then looking at the prescription assigned to her, she takes a pill from the bottle, downs it and switches off the lights.

Everything is fuzzy after a few minutes and Penelope's last thoughts are of a brunette with pouty lips, smiling down at her as she falls.

* * *

Penelope's apartment goes dark.

"Showtime."  
Greg whispers.

They open the back of the van and lug in the equipment into the building. Walking down the hall Greg pushes open Penelope's door to a luxurious flat. Making their way to the bedroom Landon sees Penelope laid out on mattress.

* * *

Penelope lies on the bed, her eyes open. She turns her head to gaze at the out of focus version of herself smashing down her car using the magic running through her veins. She is crisply inside the image now, but everything around her is still blurry. The car tumbles down on the ground in pieces.

The scene shifts suddenly and, in another apartment, Penelope addresses Hope and MG.

"We found the cure for the merge. And I couldn't wait to see her. I... I got her something from her favorite antique place and... well, she still looked as beautiful as ever. You know? And... then I go to her and... And she looks at me like she doesn't even know who I am..."

Penelope holds the wrapped gift in her hands, clutching at it while remembering what happened. Josie had peered up at her like she wasn't aware of Penelope's existence, let alone the fact that they used to date. Penelope had expected hatred, revulsion even from Josie. But a complete blank at the sight of her was something she could not have imagined in a thousand years. And somehow, it hurt more.

Penelope can still recall it vividly.

Josie's sitting behind a computer in the Salvatore school library when she lets her presence be known.

"Can I help you with something?"

Penelope stares at Josie incredulously, opening then closing her mouth. Finally, she forces a smile.

"Hey, Jo!"

Someone exclaims and the ground gives way from beneath Penelope's feet as Josie kisses the man hidden behind the display. Penelope's sure she is hyperventilating now, as Josie turns towards her again.

"Let me know if you need something!"

Penelope turns away then and marches through the aisles of books, sections of the library darkening behind her. She steps through a doorway and is back at the apartment with MG and Hope. Looking down at the wrapped gift, Penelope sinks down on the staircase.

"I... I always knew that there was a possibility that Josie might move on. I just... I... never thought too much about it because it hurt. And now that it's happening I... I can't..."

Hope and MG glance at each other anxiously, standing around Penelope while she looks on the verge of tears.

"Do you want a joint, Peez?"  
MG tries his best to be helpful.

Hope glares at him.

"What?"  
He exclaims.

"Maybe you should see this as a sign. Make a clean beak. Right?"  
Hope looks pointedly at MG who frowns defiantly back at her.

"Alright, Peez. Look. Here's the deal..."

"MG. Don't do that!"

MG pulls out an envelope from his pocket.

"This is not what we agreed upon!!!"  
Hope shouts out.

"What's your brilliant suggestion then?! Hide it from her forever?!!! Penelope is an adult Hope!!! She is our Hawkeye, for God's sake!!! She has every right to know what's going on around here!!!"

Hope folds her arms across her chest and just continues to glare at him to show her disapproval.

He takes a deep breath and starts again.  
"Remember when Hope yeeted herself in Malivore?"

"You have got to stop referring to it as that."  
Hope grumbles.

"Well, Josie didn't just forget Hope... she forgot you too."

Penelope is about to ask him how that happened, but he holds up a hand.

"I don't know either. But it did. She had started dating Landon during that time…  
Then we all remembered our lord-ess and savior and Josie remembered you. She and Landon broke up a few days later, after that. When Alaric opened up Lacuna to help the supernatural forget about their traumatic experiences, Josie was the first to sign up for it. He didn't want her to go through with it though. Not at first. But Josie must have worn him down, 'cause a few days ago I got this..."

MG pulls out an index card from the envelope and hands it to Penelope, who furrows her brows as she reads it.

'Dear Mr. Milton Greasely,  
Josette Saltzman has had Penelope Park erased from her memory. Please never mention their relationship to her again.  
Thank You.'

Printed at the bottom are the words Lacuna Inc. and as Penelope asks what the hell all this is, Josie's name disappears.

Now outside Penelope spins to see that the street behind her is a hazy blur. She enters the door with the sign above reading Lacuna Inc. There's a receptionist sitting there, and she is pretty sure his name is Kaleb. He used to go to school with her. A late addition. And a very rebellious vampire.

Doesn't matter now. Penelope has to get to Alaric. So, she makes a run for it.

"Hey! Stop!!!"  
Kaleb shouts.

By the time she is compelled to, Penelope is already standing in front of Alaric.

"Okay."  
She huffs

"I want it done. Now."


	3. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to get tricky folks!!! Pay attention if you don’t want to end up as confused as a mosquito in a shop full of mannequins at night…

“The pure, unadulterated personification of sunshine. That’s Josette Saltzman in a sentence. I thought she was it for me... Still do. Which is why I am here I guess.”

A machine records all that is and will be said.

“My name is Penelope Park, and I want to erase Josette Saltzman from my life.”

* * *

“The first thing I need you to do is go home and collect everything you own, that has some association with Josie. Anything.” 

Penelope gathers notes, keepsakes, and mementoes as the words ring in her head.

“Photos, clothing, gifts, books she may have bought you. CDs you may have watched together. Journal entries… I want you to empty your home, I want you to empty your life, off Josie… Our technicians will do the erasing in your house tonight. That way when you wake up in the morning, you will find yourself in your own bed, as if nothing has happened. A new life awaiting you.”  
Alaric’s words fade out.

As Penelope crosses a street with her bags, thoughts of Josie plaguing her, a truck almost barrels past her. Unperturbed, she continues on to the Lacuna office, settling into the waiting room. Kaleb nods at her from the receptionist’s seat. She must have earned his respect with the stunt she pulled yesterday. He was always a rebel at heart, anyway. 

It doesn’t matter now. None of it will, after today.

* * *

“We will start with your most recent memories and work backwards from there.”

Alaric tells her, while taking her blood pressure.

“There’s an emotional core to each of our memories, and when you eradicate that core, it starts its degradation process. By the time you will wake up in the morning, all the memories we have targeted will have withered and disappeared. As in a dream upon waking.”

“Is there any risk of brain damage?”  
Penelope asks, just to make small talk.

“Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage. But it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking.”  
Alaric replies, sympathetic.

Penelope nods back blankly.

* * *

Landon raises Penelope’s seat into a scanner.

“What we are doing here actually is creating a map of your brain... Now, I want you to react to these, Penelope.”  
He brings out a worn book and places it in front of her.

Penelope smiles at that.  
“There’s a really good story behind it-”

“Actually, I will get a much better emotional read-out if you refrain from any verbal description of the items. Just please try to focus on the memories.”

“Right.”

Landon studies a monitor showing Penelope’s brain activity. The moment repeats itself as everything glows orange.

* * *

In Penelope’s apartment, she lies in her bed with her eyes closed. A metal device is placed on her head, with dozens of wires running from it.

“Hey, Greg. Do me a favour. Can you check the voltage regulator?”

As Greg fiddles with the wiring, Landon scrutinizes his laptop.

Penelope’s somehow back at the Lacuna Inc. examination room, in her satin black PJs, a blood pressure cuff dangling from her right arm. She turns and sees herself under the scanner as Landon places a mug bearing the words – ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,’ before the other her.

“Where am I? I don’t understand what I am looking at…”  
Penelope mutters, confused.

“Oh my Gods. De ja vu.”  
She lets out suddenly.

“Alright. We should get started, if we want to-“

“-get the procedure underway tonight, we have got some work to do.”  
She finishes with Alaric.

“I am in my head already, aren’t I?”  
Penelope declares.

“I suppose so.”  
Alaric replies, peering around.

Landon takes the mug away, as Penelope recites with Alaric.  
“We will dispose off these mementoes when we are done here. That way you won’t be confused later by their unexplainable presence in your home.”

At Penelope’s apartment, Landon calls for Greg.

“Greg. Who's Greg?”  
In Lacuna, Penelope squints.

“Why are there so many wires?”  
Greg complains back.

Out of nowhere Penelope is teleported outside and she passes herself sitting under the scanner out in the snow. At Lacuna again, she is in the scanner watching herself carrying in two big bags.

“Let me try this.”  
Greg grumbles, while twiddling with a switch.

Penelope glows orange under the scanner as journal entries, photos, drawings and souvenirs flash by in a blur.

“Stop it! We don’t want to roach the girl!”  
Landon shouts.

Greg strolls away from the equipment.  
“Geez. Okay.”

He surveys the apartment then.  
“This place is sort of a dump, don’t you think?”

“It’s an apartment, Greg.”  
Landon mutters back.

Penelope repeats the name too. Landon checks up on her, glancing over his laptop, but she still appears to be sleeping. So, he dismisses the thought.

“Well, not a dump then. Just sort-of plain. Uninspired.”  
Greg drones on.

“Can we just, please, get through this? We have a long night ahead of us.”  
Landon pleads.

Penelope’s eyes remain closed below the shiny helmet-like device on her head.

* * *

"You weren’t gonna say goodbye?”

“I did. In my letter.”  
Penelope sighs.

“Which I am guessing you finally read…”  
She can’t help the accusatory tone lacing her voice.

“Belgium?”  
Josie asks, moving towards her.

“My mom got a job. And there’s a great witch only school. So, I don’t have to deal with wolves. Or vamps. Or Lizzie.”  
She smiles a little at the prospect of the last part.

“Penelope… Don’t leave.”

She sobers up then as a car smashes into the fireplace.

“Look at it out here. It’s all falling apart.”

“What are you talking about?”  
Josie queries, a little heartbroken and a lot confused.

“I am erasing you and I am happy. You did it to me first, you know?”  
Penelope lets out, her voice cracking.

“I don’t understand.”

A tear slides down Josie’s face and Penelope can’t handle it. Never could. So, she steps forward to wipe it away.

“I am sorry for leaving. I never wanted to hurt you… If I thought you had any chance of winning the merge, I would have stayed here with you. Forever.”

As they lean into each other for one last kiss, Penelope can’t help but cry. 

Letting go, she whispers the words.  
“I love you, Jojo.”

With that Penelope leaves, disappearing into the shadows, while the place crumbles down.

“Got it!” Landon exclaims, studying his monitors.

“Did I tell you? I have a girlfriend now!”  
Greg goes on, taking a seat beside him.

“We have got to focus here.”  
Landon replies.

“The thing is, our situation is… a little weird. My girlfriend situation.”

Back in the memory, Penelope makes her way towards the car parked in front of a nearly demolished school.

A voice echoes.  
“So who do you think is better looking? Me or this gal?”

“Don’t ask dumb questions, Greg.”  
Landon seethes.

“Remember the girl we did last month? Josie? That’s this gal’s girl, right? Or used to be?”

“Yeah. What about her?”

“I kind of fell in love with her.”  
Greg replies, sheepish.

“What?!”  
Landon finally looks up from his equipment.

On the street, as Penelope listens, something catches her eye. She sees herself lying on the road next to her broken bed in the Salvatore School. The bed fixes itself and she tumbles up to sit on it alongside Josie. It’s dark, the only light coming from a laptop opened up in front of them. And they are tangled up together, with Josie practically sprawled across Penelope while she smiles to herself.

Her personal brand of heaven is interrupted by the following words-  
“There’s um… there’s more.”

Penelope’s eyes widen and she searches for the source of the voice.

“After we did her, I kind of went to where she works and asked her out.”

Penelope untangles herself from Josie and searches the room.

“You did what?!”  
Landon cries out.

“Do you have any idea, how unethical-“

“It’s not that bad…”  
Greg interrupts him.

As Penelope’s eyes dart around the room, her torso can be seen on the laptop in front of her, the image lined up almost perfectly. 

“There’s someone here. He asked you out.”  
She says, looking over at Josie.

Josie just shrugs in return.  
“I don’t see anyone.”

Penelope crosses the room. Josie and all the furniture are gone now. She backs up then, dropping onto the bed somehow, which is now behind her as the scene shifts.

“Where are my slippers?”  
Josie asks from the bath.

Penelope dives to the ground, lying down and smears ketchup across her neck. She opens her mouth in a fake death grimace as Josie returns to the room. Putting on her clothes, Josie strides in and slips into her shoes.

Crouching down to Penelope’s level, she kisses her forehead.

“I am sorry Pen. You know Lizzie needs me. I will see you tomorrow.”

With that, she steps out the door.

As Josie leaves Penelope lying on the ground, she mumbles out to no one-  
“What about me? I need you too…”

It’s a bright day out now and Penelope’s sitting under a tree, waiting for Josie.

When she finally gets there and Penelope asks, inquisitive-  
"What took you so long?"

"Nothing. Just, here..."  
Josie says, handing over a beautifully drawn piece of flame with a word carefully written word on it.

“I wanted to give you something. I… I made it myself.”  
She continues.

Penelope smirks.  
“Incendia, huh?”

Josie blushes at that.

“Well, I love fire, and you love the Harry Potter series, and I lo-iiike… I like you. A lot. So…”  
She trails off shyly.

Penelope’s smirk slides into an adoring smile as her cheeks flush a little.  
“I like you a lot too.”

Nearby, MG whispers, looking at the two.  
“It’s happening…”

While Penelope and Josie share a kiss, parts of the area start vanishing around them. Everything blurs together, leaving the raven-haired girl to deal with the aftermath.

Ping!

Greg and Landon jump up at the sound. After a few seconds, Greg asks-  
“Was someone else supposed to be here?”

“No…”

“Then who is it?!”

“Why don’t you go and check?”  
Landon says, returning back to the task at hand.

“And what if they want to meet this chick?!”  
Greg whisper-shouts.

“Then make up a lie or something!”  
Landon answers.

Greg stands up to answer the door, snagging a pair of droopy eye spring glasses on his way and putting them on.

“Sorry. Penelope can’t come to the door right now-”  
Greg starts then stops abruptly at the unimpressed looking red-head.

“Oh, hey Hope!”


End file.
